CHINOOK, Mont. – The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Great West Engineering invite the public to an in-person open house to learn more about the Chinook – East project along US Highway 2 (US 2) between Chinook and Zurich.
The open house will be held on Thursday, September 10, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Chinook Public Schools Auditorium, 528 Ohio Street, in Chinook.
This event will not include a formal presentation. The public is encouraged to drop by anytime from 4 to 7 p.m. to view project displays, speak directly with the project team, learn more about the proposed improvements, and provide input as design progresses.
The Chinook – East project will reconstruct approximately six miles of US 2, beginning at the east edge of Chinook near Illinois Street and extending east to the Battle Creek Bridge, approximately three miles west of Zurich.
Planned improvements include widening US 2 to provide two 12-foot travel lanes with 8-foot shoulders, flattening highway side slopes, and replacing 10 bridges and drainage or irrigation structures. The project will also include reconstruction of the existing turn lane at Elloam Road.
The project is being designed to enhance roadway safety, accommodate future traffic increases and heavy truck travel, and improve the condition of US 2. Because the project is located within the Milk River, Lodge Creek, and Battle Creek floodplains, the design will include mitigation for flooding, wetlands, aquatic habitat, and wildlife movement.
The project is currently in the right-of-way and final design phase. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2028, depending on project readiness and funding availability.
For more information and project updates, visit mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/chinookeast. To subscribe to email updates, contact Ella Currier at ella@benchmarkpublicaffairs.com. To receive text alerts, text ChinookE to 406-226-1603. Texting alerts are not managed by MDT and may have different privacy and security policies.
Any person with a disability needing a reasonable accommodation to participate in this activity or an alternative accessible format of this notice should contact Ella Currier at 406-465-7198 or MDT’s ADA Coordinator at mdtaccessibilityrequest@mt.gov, 406-444-5416, or the Montana Relay Service at 711. Requests for an accommodation to participate should be made by September 2, 2026. MDT will attempt to honor requests made after this date.
This content is sourced from
Montana Department of Transportation
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
